Users of wireless handsets or handheld communication devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), and handheld or portable personal computers while traveling or away from home or the office often need Internet access to look up information or to link to private networks. Hotels, Internet cafes, and the like provide Internet wired or wireless Internet connections for a one-time fee.
Recently, high speed cellular networks have been introduced by various companies to allow a user who is away from home or an office to connect to the Internet at any time, anywhere within the cellular network, for a monthly fee. Various handheld devices and portable laptop computers are currently provided with the hardware and software already embedded to provide high speed cellular network service for Internet access. Existing devices can be set up for high speed wireless data access using a high speed wireless access card or PC modem card which can be purchased and installed by a user on their device, for example using a card slot on the device. One such wireless modem card is an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) Personal Computer (PC) Card, for example the Kyocera KPC650 for use over a code division multiple access (CDMA) EVDO network. EVDO PC cards are activated for wireless network service from the associated service provider after installation.
In order to activate a high speed wireless network service card on a cellular network, it is currently necessary to provide the user with a compact disk (CD) having an installer application which guides the user through the activation process. The process may be automatic, using over the air service provisioning (OTASP), Internet over the air (IOTA), or similar procedures. Alternatively, the process may be manual, where the user has to input certain parameters, such as the electronic serial number (ESN) of the card and other details, in order to activate the card. This activation process requires a prior agreement between the cellular carrier providing the high speed wireless data service and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), i.e. the manufacturer of the wireless PC card or EVDO PC card or device. Technical, language, and branding issues have to be taken into account prior to each carrier's launching to accept a device on their network. The OEM typically customizes an application for each carrier, operating system, language and branding. Launching of the application by each new cellular carrier will be delayed because the custom application must first be developed and maintained.